Yorkshire Water averted over 100 Christmas nightmares in 2022

There’s never a good time for blockages in the sewer, but Christmas is most definitely the worst time, particularly if they cause you to be unable to use your toilet or lead to wastewater re-entering a home or business.

Over the Christmas period 2022 (24, 25 and 26 December), Yorkshire Water’s customer field services team attended 196 blockage incidents across Yorkshire.

Many of the blockages (107) had caused customers to be unable to use their toilets or led to wastewater entering their properties.

Masses of wet wipes and toilet paper made up more than half of those blockages, followed by silt, foreign objects incorrectly disposed of into the sewers and roots growing through the pipework.

James Harrison, head of customer field services at Yorkshire Water, said: “Our teams work 24/7 keeping Yorkshire’s sewers free from blockages, even over the festive period. Last Christmas, our teams attended almost 200 blockage incidents, helping more than 100 customers who were experiencing restricted toilet use or wastewater coming into their property.

“We work hard to proactively maintain the sewers to remove silt and roots to keep them flowing, but it’s important customers also consider what they flush into the network or pour down their sinks. The last thing you want during Christmas is a blockage spoiling your day, so please only flush the 3Ps – pee, poo and paper – and bin any wet wipes, sanitary items or leftover fats, oils and greases after cooking.”

Yorkshire Water’s customer field services team will be out and about across the region this festive period, keeping Yorkshire’s sewers flowing.